


Third Time's a Charm

by wasatch_97



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Flashback, Fluff, M/M, Phone Call, Stress, i suck at tagging sry, jaewin, markhyuck is mentioned, sad yoonoh & sicheng, throwing up, wayv's debut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 11:15:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17917715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wasatch_97/pseuds/wasatch_97
Summary: “Hyung, this is my shot,” Sicheng whispered when the older had quieted down some. “Don’t you see? This being the third time, well, maybe I’ll finally be the idol I’ve wanted to be.”Yoonoh nodded. “And you should do it. You deserve this.”“I do.”





	Third Time's a Charm

**Author's Note:**

> uwu I love jaewin <3

Yoonoh groaned, flopping onto his bed in the dorm, keys and phone flying from his pockets upon impact. He faintly heard something clatter on the floor but shrugged it off, instead burrowing deeper into his pillow. 

Yoonoh had learned very early on that idol life was never quiet, but with the upcoming North American tour there were so many long hours of dancing and recording. His legs ached and his throat was sore, and at that moment he wanted nothing more to do than to fall asleep and dream of some faraway beach with the sun setting and fucking doves flying overhead. Maybe Doyoung’s “Introduction to Visualization” lesson would actual be worth something. 

Faintly, in some other part of the dorm, Yoonoh heard something crash to the ground (probably Johnny) and someone yell in retaliation (probably Taeyong). The neighboring door slammed, followed by Mark’s muffled voice, probably video chatting with Donghyuck because the maknaes honestly could not go without each other for more than two seconds. Donghyuck was still on hiatus with his injury and that stress topped with Mark’s angst about the whole situation did not help with Yoonoh’s pounding headache. 

Yuta and Taeil had gotten into some argument, Yoonoh didn’t know what it was about or who started it, but every time they would see each other they would become unnervingly silent and glare. Doyoung had almost lost his shit several times because of the extra tension from their issues, whatever those were. And Jungwoo just seemed sad. Which was never good. 

The long and the short of it was that all eight boys were in serious need of a vacation. 

Yoonoh moaned sadly when he heard his phone buzz, reaching his hand out to blindly feel around for the object, when he wanted nothing more than to sink into sleep. But their manager had been sending them schedule updates, and they were constantly changing, so he needed to keep himself up to date. 

He grabbed his phone, shifting to his side so he could look at the screen, glowing bright in the dark room. Squinting against the electronic light he unlocked it, going to his messages. 

_hyung?_

That was the only message under the contact [♡Sichengie♡] and the one word, all alone in the little message bubble, made Yoonoh’s heart hurt. 

If Yoonoh were to be brutally honest, it wasn’t just the singing and dancing that was turning him into an exhausted mess. The third, and possibly main reason was that WayV had made their debut, and all seven Chinese members were literally in another country. 

NCT had always been as one, even since Rookies days. Yoonoh remembered always sharing dorms with the boys, pushing them away as he grew and pulling them close when he fell. Boys became brothers, brothers with a tight bond. They were always together, inseparable. When Mark graduated from Dream there had been so much heat about it, but in reality, he still saw the Dreamies more often than not. 

So yes, tight bonds, _family_ , Yoonoh loved it. Loved feeling like there were always people to cheer for him and to hug him. But then WayV was formed and four of their brothers were pulled away to China. Too, too far away. 

And Sicheng being gone- that had always been one of Yoonoh’s fears. And now that he was, well, at times the pain was unbearable. 

He remembered Taeyong holding him as he sobbed in the company car at the airport, not being allowed to go in and see the new group off properly. He felt like he had been hit in the gut hard and then had his heart torn from his chest. He sat crying into the leader’s shirt until the plane had been long gone and their manager was staring at him with a frown. He remembered not being able to look at any of the other boys when they returned to the dorms, eyes puffy and red, sweater wrinkled and hanging onto Taeyong like a lifeline. 

Jung Jaehyun was always strong. Tough and fearless. But Jung Yoonoh- Jung Yoonoh was neither of those things. 

_Yoonoh crouched over the toilet, emptying out the contents of his stomach into the bowl, tears running down his cheeks. He, along with the other members, had just been informed that WayV was to debut in China. Everyone had assumed it would be so, but having it confirmed was a different story._

_Faintly, Yoonoh heard the door to the bathroom bang open and someone shout his name, but all he could manage to comprehend was the acid burning his throat._

_And then there were arms around him. Someone behind him, rubbing his back and murmuring things Yoonoh couldn’t quite make out in his muddled brain._

_Exhausted, he had slumped backwards when he felt like there was nothing more for him to vomit up, the arms steadying him and a hand reaching out to flush all the sick away._

_Yoonoh’s tears had returned as he felt Sicheng cradle him in his arms, the Chinese boy’s back pressed up against the stall wall, wiping tears off of Yoonoh’s cheeks with gentle presses of his fingertips._

_“Hyung, this is my shot,” he whispered when the older had quieted down some. “Don’t you see? This being the third time, well, maybe I’ll finally be the idol I’ve wanted to be.”_

_Yoonoh nodded. “And you should do it. You deserve this.”_

_“I do.”_

_Yoonoh let out a strangled laugh, the corners of his lips pulling downwards. “I-I just,” he trailed off, head lolling to the side on Sicheng’s thighs._

_“No, finish your sentence, we agreed to always be open about our feelings, hyung,” Sicheng chided, running his fingers through Yoonoh’s brown hair._

_“You’ve just always been there for me, y’know?” Yoonoh whispered, staring at the opposite wall. “I can cry freely with you, I can complain about random shit to you, tell all my secrets to you, and you do the same and I never know how much I really need that, us, until I do and then it’s like I can’t let go of you or I’m losing a big piece of me-”_

_“Yoonoh, please breathe,” Sicheng murmured, cutting him off, wiping away new tears that were rolling down the older boy’s cheeks._

_“I just, nothing’s going to be right with you gone and I’m_ terrified _of going on without you,” Yoonoh cried, hiding his face in Sicheng’s tummy, the soft fabric of his hoodie obscuring his vision._

_Sicheng sighed, hand finding one of Yoonoh’s. “You have to. And I’ll never be too far away, we can always message.”_

_Yoonoh was silent for a long moment, thinking of conflicting schedules and different time zones before he let out a small “yeah” that didn’t hold much depth._

_“Yoonoh, no matter where we are in the world, we’re under the same sky. Even if you can’t see me, I’m always here, with the group, in our music, with you. Don’t give up, yeah? I’ll always find my way back to you.”_

_That was when Yoonoh realized Sicheng had his heart, all of it, the good and the bad that made up Jung Yoonoh. And that he was so,_ so _in love with that boy._

_“I love you.”_

_Sicheng stilled, hand pausing in Yoonoh’s hair. “I can’t say it back, not yet,” he whispered._

_“I know,” Yoonoh replied, “I know.”_

_Sicheng sighed, cupping Yoonoh’s face and dragging him away from his stomach, their dark eyes meeting. He kissed Yoonoh’s forehead, smiling so softly that Yoonoh felt an unconscious smile flicker to his lips in return. “But never doubt that I do have feelings, lots of feelings for you.”_

_Yoonoh hummed, tightening his grasp around Sicheng’s hand. “I’ll miss you.”_

_Sicheng let out a sad laugh, tears springing to his eyes as he pulled Yoonoh close. “I’ll miss you too. So much.”_

Yoonoh was pulled out of his thoughts when his phone buzzed in his hands, alerting him to a new message. 

_call?_

Yoonoh immediately pressed on Sicheng’s contact, hitting the call button and holding it up to his ear. “Sicheng?” 

There was some static on the other line before a muffled _“Hyung?”_ came through. 

“Hey,” Yoonoh murmured, cheek pressed against the pillow. “What’s up?” 

There was a sharp intake of breath before Sicheng opened his mouth. _“I just, I don’t think I can do this, it’s so tiring and I feel like I don’t have a goal and everything’s so confusing and I’m not used to these group members-”_

“Hey, breathe,” Yoonoh murmured, remembering when the situations were reversed. “Go through one thing at a time and we’ll work it out, okay?” he asked, once Sicheng’s breathing was steady again. 

_“I guess like with every comeback it’s exhausting,”_ Sicheng sighed, _“but I feel like here I never can catch a break.”_ Yoonoh hummed and he continued. _“And I love the other members, but I don’t have a tight bond with them, at least not yet. It makes me feel like a stranger.”_

“I’m sure the other boys all feel like that too,” Yoonoh said, tracing patterns in his comforter. “Talk to them about it, maybe that is what will make you all closer.” 

_“I’ll try,”_ Sicheng replied, voice sad. _“Just, it’s hard. I feel like in a way I’m starting all over in my career.”_

Yoonoh nodded, even though Sicheng couldn’t see. “Yeah. But you’re strong, I know you’ll be amazing, already are. I’ve been watching your live stages and stuff on YouTube.” 

Sicheng giggled, and Yoonoh imagined him with a smile on his face, eyes sparkling. _“I’m just, I don’t know, China’s always been my home, but I miss Korea so much.”_

“The location you grow up in will always be your home, but the place you trust to keep your heart safe in is another spot you’ll never want to lose.” 

_“Yoonoh?”_ Sicheng’s voice was thick. 

“Yeah?” 

_“I miss you, I miss you so goddamn much,”_ Sicheng’s words were laced with sobs, and Yoonoh’s heart broke at the sound. 

“I miss you too,” Yoonoh whispered, fist tightening around air. 

He listened as Sicheng’s breathing evened out slowly, only the occasional sniffle left. _“International phone fares are going to kick my ass,”_ Sicheng said, voice tiny, _“I should probably go.”_

Yoonoh chuckled sadly, wiping away some of his own tears. “I wish you were in my arms right now.” 

_“Hyung?”_ At Yoonoh’s hum the younger continued. _“When we meet again, take me somewhere, preferably not in a bathroom, and tell me you love me, please?”_

“Of course,” Yoonoh smiled. “And will you..?” 

_“Yeah, I’m ready to say it back,”_ Sicheng whispered. 

When the call ended Yoonoh’s phone plunked onto the bed beside him, and he closed his eyes. Somehow he would get through this whole mess; Taeil and Yuta’s strange fight, Mark and Donghyuck’s issues, Doyoung’s stress, and all the other twists and turns that were obscuring Yoonoh’s path. Because if there was only one thing he had learned being an idol it was to never give up on what you love.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed!! Please leave kudos and comments!! Ily all <3


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